European Treble winning manager keen on becoming Chelsea's new manager as club parts ways with Mauricio Pochettino - Reports
Former Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick has reportedly thrown his hat into the ring to become Chelsea manager after Mauricio Pochettino's departure from the club. The Blues are set to appoint a fourth permanent manager in the last two years despite an encouraging end to the 2023-24 season.
Pochettino's Chelsea showed a great deal of promise in the immediate aftermath of his appointment, with his new team claiming the Summer Series win in pre-season. A combination of injuries and poor form contributed to the side performing below expectations for most of the season, and a late resurgence could not save the manager.
Despite finishing in sixth place, the Blues reached a mutual agreement with Mauricio Pochettino to leave immediately, and have begun to search for a new gaffer. Following an unsuccessful spell in charge of Germany, Hansi Flick has been out of work for over a year, and is prepared for a return to management.
German journalist Christian Falk has now reported that Flick is open to taking on the Chelsea job. He was also in contact with Barcelona before Xavi's decision to remain in charge of the Spanish giants.
Hansi Flick has a solid but limited CV in club football, having only managed Bayern Munich in top-flight football. His record with the German side was sterling, winning the European treble in 2020 and posting their best-ever win rate of 83% during his time in charge.
Chelsea are reportedly intent on appointing a young manager, with several from around Europe already linked with them. They will look to build on their strong end to 2023-24 and possibly win some silverware with their next manager.
Chelsea list four managers as potential Mauricio Pochettino replacement - Reports
Chelsea are reportedly targeting four managers as possible replacements for Mauricio Pochettino, who amicably reached an agreement to leave the club. They have no high-profile names on the list, as per The Telegraph, showing their intent to sign a young manager.
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has caught the eye after back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League and is one of the options. Also, Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca, a former Pep Guardiola assistant, is another on the list.
Stuttgart stunned German football by finishing second behind Bayer Leverkusen and ahead of Bayern Munich, and Sebastian Hoeness, their manager, is also on the list. Girona's Michel is the fourth manager being considered after his side's impressive campaign.